Mass Effect 3: How to Keep Miranda Alive on Priority: Horizon

This part of the Mass Effect 3 wiki guide focuses on the steps and conditions involved in saving Miranda during the late-game mission Priority: Horizon. If you’re trying to avoid spoilers, turn back now—this section covers major story outcomes.

Spoiler warning

This page contains MASSIVE spoilers for Mass Effect 3. Proceed carefully.

Priority: Horizon finale — where this decision happens

The events covered here occur during one of the game’s final missions, Priority: Horizon. At the close of that mission, you finally track down and confront Miranda’s father, Henry Lawson, who is holding his daughter Oriana captive. Miranda will also be in the scene if she survived the events of Mass Effect 2, though she may be in rough shape depending on earlier events.

Shepard’s attempt to negotiate Oriana’s life is where the dialogue choices come in through a dialogue wheel.

• You can ask about Your legacy? as an Investigate option.

Stage 1 — negotiating with Henry Lawson

What happens next depends on several factors, including which dialogue options you pick and whether Miranda is present. Here’s what each major path leads to.

• Choosing the Charm option I can be reasonable or the Intimidate option I will hunt your down will persuade Henry to release Oriana in exchange for his own life.
  • If Miranda is present, she will always survive this moment by blasting Henry through the window using her biotics. After that, the scene advances to Stage 2.
• Choosing I just want Oriana will not work. You’ll then see a Renegade Interrupt.
  • Taking the Interrupt: Shepard shoots Oriana in the leg and separates her from Henry. Miranda then blasts Henry through the window, killing him, and the mission proceeds to Stage 2.
  • Ignoring the Interrupt: Miranda uses her biotics to separate Oriana from Henry instead. Henry can then fatally shoot Miranda, but not before she blasts him through the window and kills him.

• Taking the Interrupt: Shepard shoots Oriana in the leg and separates her from Henry, allowing Miranda to blast him through the window, killing him and moving to Stage 2.
• Ignoring the Interrupt: Miranda uses her biotics to separate Oriana from Henry, which allows Henry to fatally shoot Miranda—but not before she blasts him through the window, killing him.

Stage 2 — determining whether Miranda survives

If Miranda took part in the confrontation and Henry did not shoot her, the story then checks what happens next based on the injuries Miranda has suffered from Kai Leng. Whether she survives those injuries or dies from them is decided by another important check that looks at your earlier actions.

To keep Miranda alive, you need to pass specific requirements. Fail any single one of them, and Miranda will die.

Stage 2 requirements (the check conditions)

• First requirement: you must have completed at least one of the following two actions:
  • Warn Miranda about Kai Leng during the Spectre Office conversation.
    • This requires reading Kai Leng’s dossier at your Private Terminal after Priority: The Citadel 2.
    • You’ll know it worked because Shepard mentions Leng by name early in the conversation.
  • Completed Miranda: The Prodigal in Mass Effect 2.
    • This makes Miranda Loyal.
    • Using the Genesis 2 DLC comic does not count. Even if you otherwise completed her Loyalty mission, relying on Genesis 2 will still leave Miranda Disloyal.
• Second requirement: you MUST attend the third meeting at the Citadel Apartment and MUST allow Miranda access to Alliance resources.
  • If you refuse her, or if you never attend the meeting, Miranda will die.
• ROMANCE ONLY — if you romanced Miranda, there is an extra condition.
  • Breaking up with Miranda during Mass Effect 3 results in her death, even if you satisfied the first two requirements.
  • Breaking up with her during Mass Effect 2 does not kill her.

• Warn Miranda about Kai Leng during the Spectre Office conversation.
  • This requires reading Kai Leng’s dossier at your Private Terminal after Priority: The Citadel 2.
  • You’ll know it worked because Shepard mentions Leng by name early in the conversation.
• Completed Miranda: The Prodigal in Mass Effect 2.
  • This ensures Miranda is Loyal.
  • Again, using the Genesis 2 DLC comic does not count: Miranda will still be Disloyal despite completing her Loyalty mission.

What happens after Henry is dealt with

If you satisfy every condition that applies to your situation, Miranda will survive the confrontation—she’ll be able to walk and talk normally afterward. If you don’t meet the requirements, Miranda will collapse to the floor after you deal with Henry and then succumb to her wounds.

More Mass Effect 3 help

If you’re looking for additional support for the rest of the game, the guide points you to these other topics:

• Legendary Edition Changes
• How-To Guides
• Key Choices and Consequences
• Romance Guide
• Walkthrough
• Side Missions

Up next: How to convince the Illusive Man

Top guide sections

• Legendary Edition Changes
• Game Basics
• Tips and Tricks
• How-To Guides

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